A Rookie In The Baseball Team Is Too Good [EN]: Chapter 378

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good – Episode 378

Baseball Team Newbie Is Too Good Episode 378

86 Powerful, Truly Powerful (1)

And the next day, in the afternoon.

World Series Game 1, on the day.

At the Major League Network studio in New York City, filming for a preview program forecasting the series was in full swing.

“It’s a series that’s hard to predict.”

One of the commentators, appearing as a panelist on the broadcast that day, opened the discussion.

“What I can say for now is that the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies… their tendencies are very distinctly different.”

It seemed the content had been prepared in advance as a script.

As the commentator began to speak, a neat chart appeared on a large monitor on one side of the studio.

“The Tampa Bay Rays are a team that employs a typical starting pitcher strategy. Centered around ace Victor Johnson Jr., who recorded 17 wins this season, the lineup of second starter Vincent Hiyama and third starter Brett Evans is incredibly strong.”

The two teams have distinctly different tendencies, with one employing a starting pitcher strategy.

Then, the Philadelphia Phillies’ style could be inferred by elimination.

“On the other hand, the Philadelphia Phillies have the strongest bullpen in Major League Baseball. From left-hander Mike Jones and right-handed technician Derek Miller to Robert Hinton, who throws a 103 mph fastball, and Reed Dickett, who recorded 56 saves this season… they overwhelm Tampa Bay in both quantity and quality.”

The clear difference in tendencies between the two teams didn’t stop there.

The Tampa Bay Rays, wielding the powerful slugging ability of their core lineup as their main weapon, versus the Philadelphia Phillies, with the even on-base percentage and mobility of all their starting hitters as their strengths.

Added to this, Tampa Bay’s Mike Klemblas, who holds the title of the youngest manager in Major League Baseball, and Philadelphia’s Miguel Costas, who was the oldest manager in Major League Baseball this season.

The difference in tendencies between the two teams became even clearer when drawn in a chart. The impression of the preview program host that day was as follows.

“Haha, if the differences are this significant, it will be fun to watch them in comparison. I also get a sense of why this series is attracting the attention of baseball fans.”

He felt like he could end the broadcast around this point, but there was an answer he absolutely had to hear.

“After listening to you, I also think it’s going to be really hard to predict… but still, fans like clear-cut answers.”

The host’s gaze turned to the most senior veteran among the commentators appearing on the broadcast that day.

“Mr. Bramhall! I think you’re the only one who can do it! Which team do you think will ultimately win this World Series?”

“The, the ultimate winner?”

It seemed that this time, it hadn’t been promised in advance in the script.

The veteran commentator scratched the back of his head with a very troubled expression.

But even with his long experience, it wasn’t easy to predict, so the answer he gave was quite cautious.

“I think both teams are fully qualified to be champions. If I had to put it in terms of probability, it would be 50-50.”

“Hey, are you really going to be so vague about it?”

“No, really. It’s hard to predict this time. But what I can say for sure is…”

The atmosphere.

The early atmosphere.

That was the veteran commentator’s statement.

“The team that takes the early atmosphere in the series will win… Yes, I think I can say that.”

* * *

The early part of the series is important.

The team that seizes the early momentum will lift the championship trophy.

In fact, from the perspective of baseball fans, it was safe to say that this was a pointless statement.

Isn’t that obvious? A best-of-seven short series. The team that gains momentum early on has an advantage in many ways.

“…What is this?!”

However, there was one person here.

There was a man who showed a particularly sensitive reaction to this pointless statement.

John Llama Taylor, the main director of the Tampa Bay Rays’ Future Strategy Planning Department.

“David, shouldn’t we file a complaint with the team later about this commentator?”

“Yes? Why?”

David Wilson, who was turning on his laptop to prepare game records, blinked his eyes.

“It doesn’t seem like he said anything special… What are we complaining about?”

“Hey, no! This is clearly taking the Phillies’ side.”

Look.

John Llama raised one arm and looked around.

“Atmosphere? Early atmosphere? Damn it, how can our Tampa Bay take the atmosphere here?”

Jisup, who had been quietly listening to John Llama’s words, finally burst into a chuckle.

“Well, that’s true.”

It wasn’t a joke.

From the start, it was a Phillies atmosphere. It felt virtually impossible for Tampa Bay to take the atmosphere.

Perhaps it was only natural. At this time, Jisup and the people from the Future Strategy Planning Department were inside Citizens Bank Park, the home stadium of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Let’s go- Phil-lies!

Doo-doo-doo!

Let’s go- Phil-lies!

Doo-doo-doong!

Citizens Bank Park, which became the home stadium of the Philadelphia Phillies after breaking ground in 2001 and being completed in 2004.

Centered around the large ‘Liberty Bell’ sculpture, which can be said to be the symbol of this baseball stadium, 42,900 people filled the stands without a single gap to squeeze through.

Wow!!!

According to the marketing department, approximately 2,000 Tampa Bay visiting fans visited Citizens Bank Park that day.

Surely they were sitting somewhere in this baseball stadium, but at this time, Jisup’s vision did not include a single dark navy uniform of the Tampa Bay Rays.

This place is red, that place is red, the whole world seemed to be dyed in the red of the Philadelphia Phillies.

Here, when the Phillies’ unique enthusiastic support was added, the atmosphere inside the stadium became more brutal than what he had felt at the hotel on the first day.

We- Want-

Bloody Devil Rays!!!

We- Want-

Bloody Devil Rays!!!

They waved big flags, took off their shirts and poured beer on their bodies, and brought plastic trash cans from somewhere and banged on them.

In an atmosphere reminiscent of a battlefield, David Wilson deeply pressed down on the red hoodie team’s hat he was wearing for camouflage.

Next to him, Jisup, who was silently looking around, suddenly had this thought in his head.

‘…I’m jealous.’

That’s right. He was jealous.

The fact that so many people were so enthusiastically supporting one baseball team.

The fact that so many people regarded one baseball team as their life and their very existence.

The KH Cannons, where he had been in Korea, could not be called a popular team even as a formality, and the Tampa Bay Rays, which he had joined in the United States, was also a club that barely exceeded an average attendance of 10,000 people.

When you think about it, Jisup had been affiliated with unpopular teams throughout his career as a front office employee. That’s why the Phillies fans’ enthusiastic support was frightening and envious at the same time.

“….”

He wondered if this was why many baseball players preferred the Yankees or the Dodgers, and if this was why corporations had turned away from the Cannons or Tampa Bay.

While taking a sip of water and recalling those memories, this thought suddenly crossed his mind.

‘Is it impossible for the Tampa Bay Rays to mobilize this many spectators?’

How great would it be if it were possible?

The Tampa Bay players would be able to play in games with the same enthusiastic support as the Phillies players.

The Tampa Bay front office would be able to run the club aggressively based on a much larger financial situation.

As it happens, Tropicana Field was originally a baseball stadium that could accommodate 45,000 spectators.

Jisup was imagining for a moment the moment when that place would be filled with Tampa Bay fans, but-

Wow!!!

That leisure didn’t last long.

Before the start of the game, the Philadelphia Phillies players appeared on the ground.

As usual, the American national anthem was played, and the first pitch was thrown by a Phillies legend player.

Soon, with a series of loud music, the umpire declared play ball.

David Wilson, who was sitting next to him, spoke to Jisup.

“I should have written the game prediction report more conservatively.”

When Jisup turned his head, he saw that he was biting his lower lip tightly.

“The existence of Phillies fans… It’s more than I imagined after coming here in person. It seems like it will have quite an impact on even experienced players.”

“That’s true. The Phillies have a winning percentage of over 70% in postseason home games, right?”

Jisup was also worried about similar things inside.

Victor Johnson Jr. is secretly weak in mentality, but will he be able to break through this atmosphere?

Wouldn’t it be better to deploy a veteran pitcher like Brett Evans across the board?

While thinking about that, Tampa Bay’s first batter, Mark Kohoun’s batted ball was sucked into the opposing shortstop’s glove.

One out was made in just two pitches, and the voices of the Phillies fans grew even louder.

It was probably then. John Llama crossed his arms and snorted ‘Heung’.

“Hey, why are you guys only saying things that make you lose strength? Worry before the game, and cheer hard when the game starts! Isn’t that the right attitude for a baseball fan?”

“We are not baseball fans, but baseball team employees?”

John Llama stuttered as if he was speechless at David Wilson’s point, but he quickly regained his momentum and clenched his fist.

“Uh, anyway! First of all, the game has started, so we have to cheer! Who knows? Maybe a score that changes the atmosphere will come out thanks to our cheering!”

“A score that changes the atmosphere….”

Jisup turned his gaze to David Wilson.

“David, how many points do we need to score to bring the atmosphere?”

“Well, about 2-3 points?”

David scratched his chin.

“No, we might have to score a little more. The Phillies are also a team with good offensive power, and they also have the advantage of verbal attacks.”

“I also see about 3-4 points. That’s how much it will take to break this terrifying momentum… Huh?!”

It was before John Llama could finish speaking.

One out, no runners. A short and intense hitting sound heard from the ground.

Taak!

The people in the Future Strategy Planning Department, surprised, turned their eyes to the ground.

And Jisup had no choice but to stop breathing for a moment.

“!!!”

It was Vincent Hiyama.

The two-way ace, who played as Tampa Bay’s second designated hitter that day, was holding his bat with one hand and looking far out into the outfield.

One pure white trajectory above the jet-black night sky.

Straight, relentlessly stretching out Vincent’s batted ball.

And the moment that batted ball soared over the center field fence and disappeared.

“….”

Vincent Hiyama lightly threw down the bat he was holding and slowly started running towards first base.

It was a home run.

Vincent Hiyama’s solo home run to take the lead.

“?!!”

“!!!”

Jisup, John Llama, and David Wilson widened their eyes and grabbed each other’s hands, silently screaming.

They wanted to shout out loud, but the stadium was so quiet that they couldn’t bring themselves to do it.

The Phillies fans, who had been making such a fuss, had all shut their mouths at once.

With just one home run.

With just one batted ball.

“Hey, Vincent! Great job!”

“His hitting feel is no joke, is it?!”

The baseball stadium was so quiet that even the sound of the Tampa Bay players cheering could be heard vividly from afar.

Just as Vincent Hiyama was slowly rounding the diamond and stepping into home, a shout burst out from among the silent Phillies fans.

“Hey! You X-like bastards!!!”

A voice that literally echoed.

And following that, the screams of other spectators began to be heard.

“You put a guy like that on the mound as an ace?! I’d throw better than that even if I threw it!!!”

“What are you thinking about when you play baseball? What kind of pitcher gives up a home run after getting one out?!

“Damn it, we have to replace the manager first! Miguel, that old man, is overturning the whole thing!!”

Citizens Bank Park, where curses against the Phillies were pouring out as if they had been waiting from the beginning.

In the stands where those terrifying curses were pouring out, the people from the Future Strategy Planning Department were looking at each other with strange smiles.

“….”

How many points do you need to change the atmosphere?

Here at Citizens Bank Park, just one point is enough.